Some are likely rolling their eyes, but in a way, the statistics back it up.

Q Score is a poll that measures popularity and LeBron dropped (or jumped, depending on how you look at it) to No. 6 on the list. But among non-blacks, James' negative Q rating went from 24 percent to 44 after his free-agency announcement. However, among blacks, his negative Q Score slipped just from 14 percent to 15 percent.

That seems like something.

LeBron's adviser and marketing guru Maverick Carter was also part of the interview and he agreed about the role of race in the media backlash. "It definitely played a role in some of the stuff coming out of the media, things that were written for sure," Carter said.

I don't really know how to touch this topic so I'll kind of stay away and let you decide yourself on it. But as to why one color of people reacted differently to LeBron's decision than the other, I don't know. I don't even want to really take a guess as to why.

One thing that does stick out is that James just said race played a factor and then left it at that. He didn't elaborate. He didn't fill us in. He just whipped out that big shiny race card, dropped it on the table and walked away. And as a result, the door was left wide open for people to criticize, speculate and question his use of it.

As for "The Decision" itself, James said that was his and the people around him's idea. But Carter admitted it wasn't perfect.

"The execution could have been a little better and I take some of the blame for that."

He also said something else I found interesting about LeBron's marketing approach: "It's just about control and not doing it the way it's always been done or not looking the way that it always looks."

Well evidently it's about control. A one-hour special where you control your own message and deliver it exactly how you want? Yep, that's pretty controlling. And that was a big part of the backlash over it.

But it was noted in the report that over $3 million was raised for the Boys and Girls Club of America from "The Decision." That's a good thing that's been largely ignored from that night. That's not going to save LeBron's popularity score, but still, a good thing.

Just goes to show that loyalty never entered into his decision and it was all about me! Now he wants to deflect the critism of his selfish actions. He shows what his true colors are and he can't hide behind the infintile mind that he lacks

He was asked a question and he answered it honestly. As usual a lot people are making a big thing out of nothing. When dealing with the public as whole, there will always be a racial factor. He did not say that race was the only factor or the main factor. He just said it was a factor.

Since: Oct 2, 2006

Posted on: October 1, 2010 6:33 pm

LeBron says race played a part in backlash

Just goes to show that loyalty never entered into his decision and it was all about me! Now he wants to deflect the critism of his selfish actions. He shows what his true colors are and he can't hide behind the infintile mind that he lacks

Since: Dec 20, 2006

Posted on: October 1, 2010 5:15 pm

LeBron says race played a part in backlash

I also find him to be a coward because by joining Wade and Bosh, he is bascially taking the easy road out. Magic and Bird would never have signed on the same team. They wanted to beat one another, not team up and give the rest of the league little to no chance of winning anything.

Bird suffered through playing with the likes of McHale, Parrish, Dennis Johnson and many other very good players. Magic found a way to win while playing with Kareem, Worthy, Byron Scott and many other very good players. Why would either of them leave when they were playing for a great team. Do you actually think that either Bird or Magic would not have tried to get to a great team if they had been playing for a team like the LA Clippers. It is easy to say you would never do something, when you had no reason to.

He is proving that he cannot win on his own with a solid group of role players and that he needs to team up with superstars in order to win.

Please mention all the teams that have won multiple championships with one superstar and a solid group of role players. Jordan had Pippen and Rodman. Already mentioned who Magic and Bird had. Kobe had Shaq and now Gasol and Artest. The Boston team that won in 2008 had Garnett, Pierce, Allen and Rondo. Last year's Cleveland team was not as good as Boston or LA Lakers and there were no signs that they would be better this year. He went to where he thought he had the best chance to win. How horrible it is that he wants to win and was willing to give up money to do so.

Teams win championships - not individuals!

Since: Dec 7, 2006

Posted on: October 1, 2010 1:21 pm

LeBron says race played a part in backlash

I cannot stand Lebron and it is not just because he did not sign with the Knicks. But the reason so many people cannot stand him is not because of race, but because of "The Decision." He defended it by saying he was raising money for kids, but he could have raised that moeny on his own. It was absolutely disgusting that he used ESPN to announce where he was signing when he could have just announced it like all the other free agents did. Instead, he had to showcase his choice on national TV and get millions of people to sit a half an hour before he even said where he was going. And when Jim Gray asked him stupid questions, it made the show even worse. But the way he said he was going to Miami: "I am taking my talents to South Beach" just shows how full of himself he really is. He also betrayed Cleveland fans by announcing he was leaving on "The Decision." I also find him to be a coward because by joining Wade and Bosh, he is bascially taking the easy road out. Magic and Bird would never have signed on the same team. They wanted to beat one another, not team up and give the rest of the league little to no chance of winning anything. He is proving that he cannot win on his own with a solid group of role players and that he needs to team up with superstars in order to win. Jordan would never do something like that. He wouldn't have teamed up with Ewing, Hakeem, or Shaq because his teams did not have a solid big man. He had a great team around him and won 6 titles without a solid big man and one other star player in Pippen. I do not criticize that he signed with the Heat, but feel it will hurt his legacy by not winning his own championship. I do however, blame his choice to have "The Decision" as the major reason for all the backlash

Since: Dec 20, 2006

Posted on: October 1, 2010 12:17 pm

LeBron says race played a part in backlash

You do realize that the most loved players of any sport are the "franchise players." Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Montana & Rice, Aikman & Smith, Elway, Marino, Ripkin Jr, Jeter and more. These guys [got] get it. Even in MLB, franchise players become more than a fixture for the organization. They become the face of it. Players who make a life long committment to an organization (team), community, and the fans are rewarded in so many ways.

Jordan, Rice, Montana and Smith all played with other organizations. If Marino had it to do over, he probably would not have stayed in Miami. He never won a Super Bowl here and gets to hear about it every time he is compared to other quarterbacks. Johnson and Bird joined great organizations, so there was no need for them to play with another team. Who knows what they would have done, if they had been drafted by the LA Clippers. Every year, many players in baseball, basketball, football and hockey switch teams. Understand Cleveland fans being upset, but a majority of the fans posting on these threads are not Cav's fans.

Since: Apr 13, 2009

Posted on: October 1, 2010 11:56 am

LeBron says race played a part in backlash

Pete Prisco would blame this on Brett Favre

Since: Nov 19, 2006

Posted on: October 1, 2010 11:25 am

Common Sense

You do realize that the most loved players of any sport are the "franchise players." Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Montana & Rice, Aikman & Smith, Elway, Marino, Ripkin Jr, Jeter and more. These guys [got] get it. Even in MLB, franchise players become more than a fixture for the organization. They become the face of it. Players who make a life long committment to an organization (team), community, and the fans are rewarded in so many ways. In return, these same fans, community, team make a lifelong commitment to that player. To suddenly leave that commitment in the middle of the love affair is going to have a negative backlash. Lebron made it TEN times worse in how he went about it. Are Cleveland fans scorned? I know some who would have followed him to Miami, if only in spirit. He crushed these fans and so goes the consequences. As far as race in concerned, the vast majority of these crushed fans just so happen to be white male. Lets leave it at that. I know I will.

Hey, you never know. It may not work out in Miami. And Cleveland might find itself another living legend to call their own. Someday, Lebron may choose to return to his hometown. Dangle that carrot and see how many of us scorned fans will quickly forgive.

Since: Aug 27, 2006

Posted on: October 1, 2010 11:11 am

LeBron says race played a part in backlash

Whatever.

Next........

Since: Sep 15, 2006

Posted on: October 1, 2010 11:01 am

LeBron says race played a part in backlash

Knicks09,

"Whore". He was a free agent that went to another team. Players do it all the time, why can't he?

Since: Dec 19, 2007

Posted on: October 1, 2010 10:58 am

Arrogance Played a factor

Playing the race card is such a weak way to explain the backlash against him. His arrogance and stupititiy are to blame. How can anyone view booking an hour special to proclaim, "I'm taking my TALENTS to South Beach", as anything but self indulgant nonsense. I hate the decision because he should have tried to finish what he started in Cleveland. Also he should want to be "the man" on a team rather than joining Dawayne Wade's team and be just one of the guys.

The real problem is James as surrounded himself with very stupid people who continue to give him horrible advice. This guy is a clown and will now never be looked at in the same light as Russell, Byrd, Magic, Kobe and Jordan.